Two more IAF planes in rescue mission in Leh

Leh, Aug 8 (ANI): Two more IL-76 aircraft of Indian Air Force (IAF) carrying relief material and rescue workers landed in Leh on Sunday to provide aid to the people of the region affected by cloudburst and flash floods.

Two Cheetah helicopters have been deployed for search of stranded people.

On Saturday, two Ilyushin- 76 and three Antonov-32 aircraft of IAF landed at the Leh Airport with 125 rescue and relief personnel of NDRF, medicines, generators, tents, portable x-ray machines and emergency rescue kits etc.

Two teams from Health and Family Welfare Ministry consisting of specialist doctors and surgeons with five tons of medicines from Delhi also reached Leh.

Thirty-three columns of Army personnel along with soldiers of Indo-Tibetan Border Police have been deployed in the affected areas to carry out relief and rescue operations.

The IAF has agreed to carry bodies of foreign tourists and non-locals to Delhi by air if no civilian flights are available from Leh.

The tri- service Disaster Management Coordination Group have decided to earmark special service aircraft to carry 19 VSATs and a set of other equipment of BSNL to Leh so that mobile and telecom connectivity could be restored at Leh and its adjoining areas at the earliest.

The Chief Controller (Research and Development) DRDO, Dr W. Selvamurthy, along with a team of experts also arrived in Leh to look at ways to prevent further damage to the town in the event of more heavy rains there.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Police have set up four rehabilitation centers for the affected people of Leh.

Besides, Leh 24-hours helplines (ph.09906990787, 09906990835) have been opened.

Nearly 400 critically injured people have already been evacuated by the makeshift hospitals by the Army. All the civilian doctors in the Leh District Hospital have been operating from Army Hospital, Leh as the Civil Hospital has been filled with mud. (ANI)